Tech News
LAST UPDATE: July 18, 2025
Britain boosts computing power in $1.3 billion AI drive
UK Prime Minister Starmer announced a £1 billion (US$1.34 billion) investment to boost domestic computing infrastructure, increasing public compute capacity by 20× over five years. The plan aims to support AI research and keep pace with global competitors like the US, China, and India.
Insight
This signals a strategic pivot: the UK is not just participating in AI development but moving toward technological sovereign capability. The massive scale-up aims to attract talent and investment, reinforcing the UK’s position in the global AI race.
AI is reinforcing the dominance of English in the workplace
AI’s rise is strengthening English as the de facto corporate language. With ~90% of training data in English and mandates by firms such as Airbus and Samsung, AI tools favor English fluency. This entrenches a two-tier workforce—those fluent in English leveraging AI, and others relegated to local roles.
Insight
The article underscores how technology shapes workplace hierarchies. English proficiency becomes a strategic asset in an AI-powered economy, exacerbating inequities and sidelining non-native speakers unless they achieve native-level fluency.
Institutional investors warm to crypto but demand still nascent
Despite record-high Bitcoin (~$123,000) and recent pro-crypto legislation, institutional involvement remains limited—only <5% of spot bitcoin ETF holdings are held by pension funds. Some corporates (e.g., Strategy, GameStop) are dipping into crypto treasuries, but mainstream institutional adoption remains cautious.
Insight
While policy tailwinds may encourage growth, institutions are still reservation. The crypto space remains dominated by retail investors, suggesting that widespread adoption hinges on risk management, regulatory clarity, and consistent track records.
Brussels stalls probe into Elon Musk’s X amid US trade talks
The European Commission has paused its Digital Services Act investigation into Tesla/X owner Elon Musk, citing sensitivity amid active US trade talks under the Trump administration. Although officially independent, the delay is widely seen as a diplomatic gesture to avoid trade friction.
Insight
This stalling illustrates Europe’s pragmatism: balancing regulatory enforcement with geopolitical trade priorities. It signals that EU digital sovereignty may be compromised when broader economic negotiations are at stake.
